Rear element for retaining a boot on an alpine ski

ABSTRACT

An element for retaining the rear of a boot, including a slide, a body with a movable retaining jaw and a return spring, a latch for retaining the body. The spring is connected to the latch by a connecting rod whose rear end includes a bend inserted between the rear end of the spring and the rear wall of the cavity, whose front end has a connecting hook provided to be connected to the latch, and a hooking tip oriented rearwardly which is engaged on an edge located at the front of the body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a binding element for retaining the rear of a boot on an alpine ski.

[0003] 2. Description of Background and Relevant Information

[0004] In a known manner, a rear binding for an alpine ski includes a slide to be fixed to the upper surface of the ski, a body movable along the slide, a latch for retaining the body along the slide, a spring commonly referred to as a return spring housed between the latch and the body, and a jaw supported by the body, movable against the elastic return force of an elastic return device between two stable positions, i.e., for retaining and for releasing the boot.

[0005] Usually, the ski brake with which most of the existing binding/retaining assemblies are equipped is associated with the rear retention element.

[0006] Once the retention element is assembled on the ski, the rear retention element has a main function which is to retain the rear end of the boot and to release it in the case of excessive force. Another function of the element is to adapt the retaining assembly to the length of the boot. To this end, the position of the body of the element can be adjusted along the slide by means of the retaining latch. In a known manner, from this position, the body can also move back against the return force opposed thereto by the return spring to ensure the pinching of the boot between the front and rear bindings and to enable the retaining assembly to follow the bending of the ski.

[0007] One problem associated with these retention elements is their mode of construction, in particular, the method of mounting the various elements which must be as simple and functional as possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] One of the objects of the invention is to propose a construction of a rear retention element for which the mounting of the various elements is simplified.

[0009] Another object of the invention is to propose a construction whose method of adjusting the body along the slide is easy to implement.

[0010] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent along the description that follows.

[0011] The retention element according to the invention is provided to be assembled affixedly to a ski or to an intermediate plate. It includes an elongated longitudinally extending slide, a body guided slidably along the slide, a movable retaining jaw borne by the body, a latch for retaining the body along the slide, the body having, at the bottom, a cavity in which a return spring connecting the body and the latch is housed, the cavity beg longitudinally demarcated by a front wall and a rear wall, the assembly being mounted such that the body is elastically returned toward the front in a position pre-defined by the position of the retaining latch.

[0012] According to a first feature of the invention, the spring is connected to the latch by a connecting rod whose rear end includes a bend inserted between the rear end of the spring and the rear wall of the cavity, whose front end has a connecting hook provided to be connected to the latch and a hooking tip oriented rearwardly, which is engaged on an edge located at the front of the body when the rear bend of the rod is in support against the rear wall of the cavity, and that in this position of the rod, the spring is compressed.

[0013] According to a secondary feature of the invention, the bend of the rod has a projecting or recessed relief toward tie rear which cooperates with a complementary recessed or raised relief located on the rear wall of the cavity.

[0014] In this way, the sub-assembly formed by the body and its return system is particularly simple to mount, and once mounted, it can be handled without notable risk that the connecting rod and the return spring may come out of their housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] The invention will be better understood from the description that follows, with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:

[0016]FIG. 1 is shows a side view of a rear retention element according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the element of FIG. 1, with the slide separated from the remainder of the element.

[0018]FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the element of FIG. 1.

[0019]FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the device for latching the element.

[0020]FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the connecting rod.

[0021]FIG. 6 shows the method of assembling the retaining element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022]FIG. 1 shows a side view of a retaining element 1 mounted on a portion of a ski 2.

[0023] The retaining element is provided to releasably retain the rear end of a ski boot. To this end, it has a jaw 4 borne by a body 3. In a known manner, the jaw 4 is movable about an axis 5 between two stable positions, a low position for retaining the boot, and a high release position. As shown in FIG. 3, a spring 9 housed in the body elastically pushes back a piston against a ramp 4a located on the rear of the jaw. It is this ramp that guides the movement of the jaw between its two stable positions. Other modes of construction could also be used.

[0024] A lever 6 for removing the boot enables the manual opening of the jaw toward its high position.

[0025] The body 3 is slidably mounted along a slide 7 provided to be affixedly assembled to the ski along the longitudinal direction which it defines.

[0026] According to the embodiment shown (see FIG. 1), an interface 8 is inserted between the slide and the upper surface of the ski.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, his slide 7 has a flat shape in transverse cross-section, with a slide bottom 7 a and two returns 7 b and 7 c opposite one another. At its base, the body has lateral flanges 12 which are slidably engaged in the returns of the slide.

[0028] On the front, the retaining element has a mounting base 14, which is an element distinct from the body 3, but which, as the body, is slidably mounted along the slide 7 by lateral flanges 15 a and 15 b. The upper surface 16 of the mounting base is provided as a support surface for the boot sole.

[0029] A ski brake 17 is mounted on the mounting base 14. According to the embodiment shown, a rotation bearing 18 of the braking arms 20 is assembled to the mounting base 14. The braking arms 20 are extended beyond the bearing by arms which carry an actuating pedal 19 at their end.

[0030] The brake is assembled to the mounting base 14 by any appropriate means. For example, the mounting base has, in its central portion, a portion 21 provided to receive the bearing of the brake. Once in place, the bearing is retained at the front by a return 21 a of the location 21, and at the rear by one or several screws. As shown in FIG. 2, the bearing 18 of the brake substantially covers the mounting base 14 on the top and sides. Other modes of construction are also suitable.

[0031] The position of the body along the slide is defined by a retaining latch 22 housed in a well 23 of the mounting base 14.

[0032] The latch is, for examples a metallic piece shaped by bending. At its lower surface, it carries teeth 24 which are provided to engage in the notches of a series of notches 26 obtained on the bottom 8 of the slide.

[0033] The latch is vertically movable in its well 23. It is returned downwardly in the engaging position of the teeth by a spring 27. The latch is maneuvered between an engaging position and a disengaging position by a lever 28 housed in the upper portion of the mounting base 14.

[0034] For example, as is shown, the lever 28 is housed in a recess located at the upper portion of the mounting base; it is connected to the latch 22 by a pin 30 oriented longitudinally.

[0035] Preferably, the recess of the mounting base opens out laterally, and the lever 28 projects in this zone with respect to the lateral edge of the mounting zone so as to be accessible on one of the sides of the mounting base.

[0036] Thus, the latch 22 can be maneuvered in a very simple manner by a very natural movement of the hand. Initially, the flat portion of the hand is positioned on the body 3 of the retaining element. The end of the thumb is then naturally located toward the end of the lever 28. It then suffices to engage the thumb beneath the end of the lever, and to exert an upward thrust thereon so as to lift the latch 22 and disengage the teeth 24. The hand that rests on the body 3 can then displaceably drive the body along the slide 7 toward its new position. Once this position is reached, the latch 22 is released so that its teeth 34 engage in notches 26 of the slide 7. Conventionally, if the teeth are not opposite the notches, it suffices to impart a slight forward or rearward displacement to the body so that the teeth fall into the closest notches.

[0037] Advantageously, in the presence of the boot, the latch 22 is covered by the sole, so that it does not run the risk of being untimely maneuvered during the glide, i.e., during the use of the ski.

[0038] From the position that is defined by the latch, the body 3 can also move back against the return force opposed thereto by a return spring which biases the body into abutment against the mounting base 14.

[0039] In a known manner, this elastic return movement ensures the pinching of the boot between the front and rear retention elements, and enables the ski to bend more freely.

[0040] With reference to FIG. 3, a return spring 32 is housed in a cavity 33 located in the lower portion of the body. Furthermore, a rod 34 connects the mounting base 14 and the spring 32. In the preferred embodiment, the rod 34, which is more particularly visible in FIG. 5, is an elongated metallic piece. It is ended on the front by a connecting hook 36 that is engaged in a groove 38 of corresponding shape and dimensions which is located in the rear portion of the mounting base 14, and on the rear by a bend 35 against which the rear end of the spring takes support. Toward the front, the spring takes support against the front wall of the cavity 33.

[0041] In addition to the connecting hook 36, the front end of the rod has a hooking tip 39 oriented rearwardly. According to the embodiment shown, the hooking tip is a small projecting tooth which is cut into the bottom of the rod 34, and which is bent back so as to be oriented obliquely toward the rear of the rod.

[0042] The hooking tip 39 is provided to cooperate with an edge 40 located in the lower portion of the body and oriented toward the front, the end of the tip engaging above the end of the edge, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0043] The distance between the tip 39 and the rear bend 35 is substantially equal to the distance between the front end of the edge 40 and the rear wall 42 of the cavity 33. Thus, when the body is manipulated alone outside the slide, the rear bend 35 of the rod is pinched between the end of the spring 32 and the rear wall 42 of the cavity 33, and the hooking tip 39 is retained by the edge 40. In his way, there is no significant risk that the spring and the rod may be disassembled from the remainder of the body. The body with its return spring and the rod can be manipulated as a self-contained sub-assembly without any particular precaution. It is to be understood that, in the absence of stress, the spring has a length that is slightly greater than the length of the cavity, so as to be slightly compressed once it is in place in the cavity.

[0044] Preferably, as shown in the figures of the drawing, the rear bend 35 of the rod further has a stud 45 that engages in a housing 44 of the rear wall 42. Thus, the rod is retained in the body at the level of its two ends. The relative position of the stud and of the housing could be inverted.

[0045] Furthermore, the mounting base 14 is extended on the rear by a second edge 43 that covers the edge 40. This second edge hides the end of the connecting rod. In addition, during skiing, it is responsible for evacuating the snow that could accumulate in this zone due to the repeated backward movements of tie body.

[0046] The mounting of the spring and of the rod in the body does not pose any particular difficulty; it is done by playing with the elasticity of the spring.

[0047] Once in place in the body, as shown in FIG. 6, the connecting hook 36 of the rod projects toward the front of the body. The mounting base 14 is then presented so as to engage the hook 36 in its groove 38. By operating in his way, the flanges of the body and of the mounting base are in the extension of one another. The assembly can then be engaged in the slide, Preferably, the groove 38 is provided so that the engagement of the hook 36 causes a slight additional compression of the return spring 32. In this way, the backlash between the body and the mounting base is eliminated when the body is brought back into abutment against the mounting base.

[0048] Another way to proceed consists of first engaging the body in the slide, then of hooking the mounting base 14, and finally of sliding the assembly up to the desired position. To facilitate this operation, the laterals flanges 15 a, 15 b of the mounting base preferably extend only over the front of the mounting base, and He mounting base does not have any flange on the rear, in particular in the zone of the latch, Thus, since the body is on the front of the slide, as shown in FIG. 6, the mounting base is brought on the slide so as to hook the rod to the mounting base. This further causes the rise of the latch whose teeth abut against the bottom of the slide. Next, the assembly is moved back in the slide until the teeth of the latch fall into the first notches of the slide.

[0049] The brake is assembled to the mounting base before or after the mounting of the mounting base in the slide as a function of its assembly method, depending upon whether the assembly screws are provided to be screwed on the top or bottom.

[0050] Once in place in the slide, the retaining element can be assembled to the ski by any appropriate means, in particular screws.

[0051] Thus, the assembly of the retaining element is simplified insofar as the body, with its return spring, is assembled as a self-contained subassembly, and as the mounting base, with the latch which is also a self-contained subassembly, is then hooked to the body.

[0052] Moreover, the latch is positioned at the front of the body, and not on the rear. As a result, the body has a more compact construction, and its rear portion is substantially cleared above the ski.

[0053] The present description is provided for guidance only, and other embodiments of the invention could be adopted without leaving the scope of the invention.

[0054] In particular, the hooking tip of the rod and of the edge could be constructed differently. A significant feature is that the rod is hooked to at least the front of the body under the effect of the thrust from the return spring, when the body is manipulated alone outside the slide.

[0055] The linkage between the mounting base and the body could also be constructed differently. The significant feature is that the linkage occurs by engagement or nesting along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the slide, so that the elements cannot be disassembled once they are engaged in the slide.

[0056] The instant application is based upon the French Patent Application No. 00 06872, filed May 24, 2000, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An element for retaining the rear of a ski boot, said retaining element comprising: a longitudinally elongated slide; a body guided slidably along the slide; a movable retaining jaw supported by the body; a latch for retaining the body in a predetermined position along the slide; the body having a bottom portion, a cavity being located in the bottom portion of the body, the cavity being longitudinally demarcated by a front wall and a rear wall; a return spring housed in the cavity and connecting the body and the latch, the body being elastically returned forwardly in a position pre-defined by a position of the retaining latch; the return spring being connected to the latch by a connecting rod, the connecting rod having a rear end including a bend positioned between a rear end of the spring and the rear wall of the cavity, the connecting rod having a front end including a connecting hook connected to the latch and a rearwardly extending hooking tip, and, with the rear bend of the rod in support against the rear wall of the cavity, the hooking tip is engaged on an edge located at a front portion of the body and the spring is compressed.
 2. A retaining element according to claim 1 , wherein the bend of the rod carries a stud engaged in a housing located on the rear wall of the cavity.
 3. A retaining element according to claim 1 , wherein a mounting base, separate from the body, is provided to be sidably guided along the guide, the latch being carried by the mounting base.
 4. A retaining element according to claim 3 , wherein the connecting hook is engaged in a groove located on the rear of the mounting base.
 5. A retaining element according to claim 3 , wherein the latch is housed in a well of the mounting base.
 6. A retaining element according to claim 5 , wherein the latch is connected to a lever housed in an upper portion of the mounting base.
 7. A retaining element according to claim 6 , wherein the end of the lever is accessible on one of opposite lateral sides of the mounting base.
 8. A retaining element according to claim 1 , wherein the rear portion of the body is substantially clear above the slide. 